Refrigerated display cabinet



Jan. 27, 1942. Q SHERMAN REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABNET 2 Sheets-Shea?I l Filed July 29, 1941 c. Q. SHERMAN 2,271,103 REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABINT Filed July 29, 1941 Jan. 27, 1942.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q lf) v N) Y INVEN IOR.

CHARLES Q. HERMA/v TOB.

, Patented Jan. l27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Charles Q. Shermam Mount Vernon, N. Y. v Application July 29, 1941, Serial N0. 404,474

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerated display and storage cabinets for the dispensing therefrom of perishable comestibles in selfservice stores.

Cabinets of the character described are intended to be arranged in self-service stores such as, for example, those now conventionally referred to as super-markets, cash, carry and self'- service markets. The contents of these cabinets, therefore must be readily accessible to the customers for removal by them, since in stores of this type, the customers wait upon and help themselves to the merchandise, which they intend to purchase. f

Since the floor space ,in stores is necessarily limited, it is desirable that such cabinets have a l relatively large capacity in relation to the amount here concerned with, the customers and not store attendants select and remove the merchandise they desire to purchase. The` present invention therefore contemplates the provision of a refrigerated cabinet so constructed and arranged that the wares and merchandise contained `therein are readily accessible from the exterior while, at the same time they may be attractively displayed 25 groceries, provisi 5 foods must be kept at zero or lower temperature to prevent their 'spoilage. Heretofore, attendants in stores selling quick frozen foods, because of the low temperatures, have found it extremely uncomfortable to continually place their hands in 1o the low-temperature storage cabinetsl to remove therefrom the quickvfrozen foods, required by frequent demand and, sale of such merchandise. Attendants have consciously or sub-consciously avoided the necessity for this by not applying any l5 sales effort to the sale of quick frozen foods, preferring to sell other goods, the sale of which does not adversely affect their comfort. Since'my improved cabinet is designed for self-service sale by the customer, who will not be made particu- 20 larly uncomfortable b y the removal of Just a few articles, it tends to promote the sale of such wares as quick frozen foods. y

In addition, since the advent of the supermarket, there is a decided trend in the sale of nd the like, even in the smalle;` individual sto to 'arrange such wares and goods so that thecu mer may serve himself by selecting whatever e desires and then having them packaged and aid' for after the .30 selection and self-servicethereof is made.

The present invention thereforecontemplates the provision of a cabinet which is so arranged that it is provided with an upper compartment, the interior of which is visible so that the goods therein and one from which they can' easily be 35 and wares may bearranged and displayed therein removed without disturbing the remaining contents of the cabinet,

Since with such cabinets it is intended that the be so attractively presented to the view ofV a putative customer that their self-service sale is thereby promoted. It is therefore essential that `the contents of the cabinets, for sale, shall be to attract the customer and so constructed that the customer may remove them from the display compartment to serve himself.

Since the display compartments may be rela- 40 tively quickly emptied by the customers, .provision reserve of the goods on sale, obscured from view y and in position to speedily and readily replenish .so arranged that they'are clearly visible from 45 the display compartment with them as they are ,such position relatively to the display portion of the cabinet so as to be readily removed therefrom to easily and quickly replenish the display compartment with the wares as they are'sold.

6B relatively low temperatures.

sold.

v Since the perishable comestibles'are arranged in a compartment, the doorsof which are relatively opened-often, and sometimes not closed by 50 the customers, it is essential that proper refrigeration of the display compartment and storage well be provided, which has hitherto been considered impossible for self-service cabinets to be used for quick frozen foods which require such I have found that the refrigeration of the display compartment, for proper operation of the cabinet, is functionally related to the refrigeration of the storage well. Self-service display and storage cabinets for frozen goods have heretofore been considered impossible of provision because this factor Ywas not recognized and asa result the display compartment and storage well were not designed so that their arrangement and construction and respective refrigeration were related each to the other.

As is well-known, warm air will rise and the cold air remain at lower levels and because of this, together with the factor that the display compartment is frequently opened for removal of .the comestibles arranged therein, ithas heretofore been diicult, under ordinary circumstances, to maintain in the display and sales compartment a constant uniform and protective temperature. I have found that this can be accomplished by the construction to be described,

which protectively seals the cabinet between the storage well and the display compartment, while surrounding each with'refrigerating means.

Since I seek to prevent circulation of the air and therefore eliminate cooling by convection, I arrange the cooling means in the interior of the display compartment. The trays or supports, in

which the wares are arranged in the display compartment, are connected to such cooling means and to that for the storage Well, so that they will be totally cooled by conduction. v'Ihe trays or supports are so fitted in the display compartment and against one another that their bottoms form a cold wall, sealing the vdisplay compartment from the storage well, which wall serves to block off and prevent circulation of air therebetween.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawings relating thereto, in which Figure l isza perspective view of a cabinet embodying my invention, partially broken away.

FigureA 2 is a top plan view thereof, partially in section.

Figure 3 isa partial section along the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure l, the cabinet I is provided at its upper part with the display compartment I2 in which are arranged trays or supports I4 in which the packages I6 or quick frozen comestibles are' arranged, so that they may be readily withdrawn from the cabinet by the customers intending to purchase them. Since I' intend to provide a cabinet for use in selfservice stores, and therefore desire to make it accessible to many customers at onetime so that the cabinet will have maximum self-sales capacity for a'minimum of door space, I prefer to apply my invention to an aisle cabinet, which forms a sales island in the store It will 'be understood, however, that my invention may-also be applied to so-called wall cabinets.

Access to the interior of the cabinet is provided through openings I8 on each side of the cabinet.

Each of the openings I8 to the interior of the cabinet are closed by the preferably sliding doors and 2,2, which are arranged in the channels 24 secured to the central crown 26 ofthe archlike or keystone-like upper cabinet structure and to the walls 28.

'The upper structure of the cabinet houses a display compartment I2 on each side. In order to dispose the trays so that each package I6 is readily visible to the prospective purchaser thereof, I arrange them in the cabinet, and the walls of the display compartment, formed by the sliding doors 20 and 22, at an angle to the vertical so that the inner edges thereof at the interior or centre of the cabinet are higher than the outer,

edges. In this way, the entire contents of the trays, from front to rear thereof may be viewed and each package readily removed therefrom.

I accomplish this by constructing the upper structure to have an arch-like cross-section, the sides of which form the walls of the display compartments.

The depth of the trays I4 is preferably not too great so that, when thepackages I6 are removed from the top of the trays, those packages remaining at the bottom will be fully -visible to prospective customers, who are at a distance from the cabinet.

'The crown 26 of the arch is higher than the upper ends of the side walls 28, a distance such that the display compartment I2 and the doors 20 and 22 are arranged at the desired inclination to the vertical, extending downwardly and outwardly from the inside of the cabinet to the outside thereof, that will, for the width chosen for each compartment, provide the necessary vislbility of the tray contents. It will be understood that the width of each display compartment I2 is not too great so as to interfere with accessibility to the customer of the inner part of the trays I4, though, since the trays are disposed in the cabinet at a substantially equal angle, the packages I6 will tend to slide (gravitate) to the outer part of the trays, as packages are removed from that part.

The lower structure-of the cabinet is provided on its four sides with closed' walls to form an internal well or storage compartment 30, in which is the reserve supply of quick frozen comestibles, preferably arranged in similar trays' I4, for purposes which will be described in further detail hereinafter,

Adjacent and extending along each lower closed Wall of the cabinet, surrounding the storage well, I provide refrigerating means, preferably comprising the spaced metal plates 32 and 34, in the space 36 between which conventional refrigerator coils are arranged, the entire as` sembly being known in the trade as a plate refrigerating coil. A

I have provided a storage well, which is surrounded on all of its sides by refrigerating means so that the storage compartment 30 is maintained at the desired low temperature.

The refrigerating plate coil, adjacent each wall of thestorage well 30, extends upwardly to a point adjacent` the upper end 31 of the outer wa1ls 38-of the trays I4.

Extending downwardly from the crown 26 of the keystone or arch, to the lower end 4I of the inner walls 42 of the trays I4, I provide the inner refrigerating plate coil" 44, extending across the cabinet from one end wall 46 to the other end wall 48.

In order to removablyhold the trays I4 inchannel bars 50,' the lower flange 52 of which receives the inner edge of the trays I4.

On the plates 32 of the refrigerator plate coil extending across each of the outer walls 28 o1 the cabinet, I secure a channel member 58, on

tance below the channel lbars 50 on the innerplate coil 44 such thatthe trays I4 are held in in the display compartments I2 at the desired angle of inclination.

Atl each end of the supporting channels 80 and Il., adjacent the end walls 46 and 48, I provide angle abutments 84 and the 4spacer bars 88, against which the end trays closely fit. The trays are designed so that they rest against one another relatively tightly in order that there will v be no opening for the circulation of air between them and between the storage well 80 and the display compartment I2. The bottom walls 68 of the trays i4 therefore form a continuous cold cabinet' structure.

'I'he inner plate coil 44 is of length such that its lower edge 18 extends to at least and preferably slightly below the upper edge 12 of the plates coil 32 and 34 of each side and end wall plate refrigerator coil.

It will now be apparent that the trays form vthe package holding structureof the display compartments, which structure is cooled by contact on all four sides with a refrigerating means.A

It will be understood that I also preferably provide along the bottom wall 14 of the cabinet a plate refrigerating coil 'I8 (Fig. 3).

By this construction Just described, I have provided a cabinet in which the cooling meansis arranged to completely surround the storage well and to substantially completely surround the display compartment and in which the circulation of air from the storage well to and between the display compartment is prevented. This is accomplished with the added desirable construction of providing a display compartment in which the trays carrying the goods are supported so that they are arranged in the cabinet inclined to the verticali so that their merchandise is visible to prospective customers from a dis-l` ment doors, which are transparent. and preferably made ofv glass, are closed, I weather strip ment with trays containing a comestible, for example packages of peas. another tray containing peas is arranged in the display compartment of that section immediately thereabove on the channel supports 58 and 5l, so that a dispensing` tray is in proper position in the display compartment.

the 'doors by securing at their edges the suitable relatively pliable weather stripping 18.

'I'he trays I4 are provided with the preferably rubber covered handles 80 secured tothe sides 0f each tray, so that Athe trays can be easily handlid for insertion into or removal from the .cabine In practice the storage compartment 30, is

first filled to capacity with a quantity of the' trays, each loaded with the goods or wares, which arefto be dispensed from the cabinet.

`Each 'tray in a section of the cabinet is preferably iilled with the same kind of comestible, so that a store attendant will know where anyd esired reserve supply oi' a specific comestible' is located in the storage compartment.'

After filling a section of the storage'comparty It will be understood that each section of the storage well and the display compartment is similarly filled with comestible holding trays. It will be understood that the sections of the cabinet, that is the'traysmay be of any desired length as illustrated by the single` trays 82 and double vtrays 84, Iillustrated in Fig. 2 of the 'in the storage well and substitutes that filled tray forthe empty one which he has removed.

Since each tray in each compartment is arrefrigerated wall between the lower and upper Y ranged to carry the same merchandise, it is a very simple and expeditious matter to replenish the goods as they are sold, the store. attendant knowing Just where the reserve supply of any comestible is to be found. In' order to facilitate the ready insertion and removal of the trays into and from the cabinet, I preferably arrange the sliding doors 20 and 22 in the cabinet so that they may be bodily removed therefrom. It is not necessary to describe this construction since it is well known and forms no vpart of my in It will be further understood that the trayA handles 80 are preferably arranged in any suitable staggered relation, so that theywill not interfere with one another and will permitthe -sides of the trays to tightly fit against each other, for example'as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

It will be apparent from the description, that I have provided a cabinet which is arranged for the storage and self-service dispensing therefrom of quick frozen comestibles, in which the storage compartment andthe display compartment are each refrigerated solely by conduction and in which each compartment is sealedor closed off from the other. l

While I have described in detail a specific embodiment of my invention, .it is to be understood that the. invention is not limited to the specific details, but that it is intended that the invention be claimed as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior artand the terms of th appended claims. Y I,

I claim: t

1. A refrigerated display and vstorage cabinet for the 'self-service dispensing therefrom of perishable comestibles, said cabinet having a storage well and dispensing compartment directly thereabove; said cabinet arranged .to provide access to the storage well through the dispensing compartment; said cabinet having a closed bottom wall and closed sides upstanding therefrom to form the storage well; said dispensing compartment of arch-like cross-sectional configuration having a crown and side walls extending down- Wardly and outwardly therefrom at a selected inclination to the vertical; the side walls of said compartment arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough to the storage well and the compartment; a refrigerated plate coil in the interior of the cabinet at the said closed sides and extending therealong from the bottom Wall to the dispensing compartment; a second mentioned plate coil in the interior of the cabinet extending downwardly from the crown to at least the upper part of' the storage well; a plurality of trays arranged in the compartment; spaced means, for removably supporting the trays in the compartment, secured to the first mentioned and to the second mentioned refrigerating plate coils;the bottoms of said trays forming a continuous wall sealing the storage well from the dispensing compartment; said supporting means arranged to dispose the trays in the compartment substantiallyA parallel to the side walls thereof.

2. A refrigerated display and storage cabinet for the self-service dispensing therefrom of perishable comestibles; said cabinet having a bottom and closed sides upstanding therefrom to form a storage well for reserve supply of the comestibles; refrigerating means in the interior of the cabinet and extending along the closed side walls; a compartment above the storage well, said compartment of arch-like cross-section having a crown and side walls extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom to a closed wall of the storage well, the side Walls of the compartment and the storage well and the interiors thereof being substantially continuous; a second mentioned refrigerating means extending downwardly from the crown to at least the relative position in the cabinet of the upper edge of the rst mentioned refrigerating means and spaced therefrom; said second mentioned refrigerating means extending across the interior of the cabinet to form on each side thereof a dispensing compartment; means, on each side of the second mentioned refrigerating means and on a first mentioned refrigerating means extending along an opposite wall of the storage well, for removably supporting comestible holding trays in the compartment and a plurality of said comestible holding trays in contact with and supported in each dispensing compartment by said supporting means; the bottoms of said trays forming a continuous wall between the dispensing compartment and the storage well, the side walls of the said compartments arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough to the compartment and the storage well; said supporting means arranged and constructed to dispose the said storage well to the upper part of the well; supporting means secured to and extending along the refrigerating means extending along the side walls; said side and end walls at their upper portion forming a compartment of arch-like cross-sectional configuration having a crown and side walls extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom at a selected inclination to the storage well side walls; second mentioned refrigerating means extending downwardly from thecrown to at least the upper end of the said first mentioned refrigerating means along the storage well side walls and spaced therefrom; said second mentioned refrigerating means extending in the l interior of the cabinet from one end wall to the other end wall to form a dispensing compartment on each side of the cabinet; second mentioned supporting means secured to and extending along the second mentioned refrigerating means on each side thereof and a plurality of comestible containing trays in each dispensing compartment, removably held on a said supporting means on one side of the second mentioned refrigerating means and on a first mentioned supporting means, said second mentioned supporting means higher than the rst mentioned supporting meansto thereby dispose a plurality of trays in each ldispensing compartment at the said selected inclination downwardly and outwardly from the second mentioned to a first mentioned supporting means; the bottoms of thetrays in each compartment 'forming a continuous wall sealing the dispensing compartment from the storage well; the said wall of each compartment arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough to the compartment and to the storage well. A 3

4. A refrigerated display and storage cabinet for the self-service dispensing therefrom of perishable comestibles, having a bottom and closed side and end walls extending upwardly therefrom to form an enclosed storage well; refrigerating means in the interior of the' cabinet and extending along the upstanding walls forming the storage well; supporting means secured to and extending along therefrigerating means along the said side walls, said side and end walls at their upper portions forming a compartment of arch-like cross-sectional conguration having a crown and side walls extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom at a selected inclination to the vertical; second mentioned refrigerating means extending -downwardly from the crown to at least the upper end of the said first men- `tioned refrigerating means along the side walls forming the storage well and spaced therefrom; said second mentioned refrigerating means extending in the interior of the cabinet from one end wall to the other end wall to form a dispensing compartment on each side of the cabinet; second mentioned supporting means secured to and extending along the second mentioned refrigerating means on each side thereof and a plurality of comestible containing trays in each dispensing compartment removably held on a said supporting means on one side of the second mentioned refrigerating means and on a first mentioned supportingmeans; said second mentioned supporting means higher than the first mentioned supporting meaans to thereby dispose a plurality of trays in each dispensing compartment at the said selected inclination downwardly and outwardly from the second mentioned to a first mentioned supporting means; the said.wa1l of each compartment arrangedand constructed to provide access therethrough to the compartment and to the storage well.

5. A refrigerating display and storage cabinet for the self-Service dispensing therefrom of perishable comestibles, having a bottom and closed side and end walls extending upwardly therefrom to form an enclosed storage well: re-

frigerating means in the interior of the storage well, supporting means secured to and extending along each of said refrigerating means, said side and end walls at their upper portions forming a compartment of arch-like cross-sectional configuration having a crown and side walls extending downwardly andoutwardly therefrom at a selected inclination to the vertical; second mentioned refrigerating means extending downwardly from the crown to at least the relative position in the cabinet of the upper end of andspaced from the said first mentioned refrigerating means and extending from one end wall to the other end wall to form a dispensing compartment on each side of the; cabinet; second mentioned supporting means secured to and extending along each side of the second mentioned refrigerating means and a plurality of comestible holding trays in each dispensing compartment, removably held on a said supporting means on one side of the second mentioned refrigerating means and on a first mentioned supporting means, said second mentioned supporting means higher than the first mentioned supporting means to dispose a plurality of trays in each dispensing compartment at the said selected inclination downwardly and outwardly from the vsecond mentioned to a first mentioned supporting means; the bottoms of the trays in each compartment forming a continuous wall, sealing the dispensing compartment from the 'storage Well; the said wall of each dispensing compartment arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough to the compartment and the storage well.

6. A refrigerated display and storage cabinet forthe self-servicedispensing therefrom of perishable comestibles having a'bottom and closed Vside and end walls extending upwardly therefrom to form an enclosed storage well; refrigerating means in the interior vof the cabinet and extending along each side wall of the storage well; supporting means secured toand'extending along each of said refrigerating means; said side and end walls at their upper portions forming from the second mentioned to a iirst mentioned supporting means, the said wall of each dispensing compartment arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough to the compartment and the storage well.

7. In a refrigerated display and storage cabinet for the self-service dispensing of perishable comestibles, an enclosedstorage well at the lower portion of the cabinet and having closed side and end walls, refrigerating means along each of said closed side walls, extending upwardly from the bottom to the top of the storage Well, supporting means from one end wall to the other end wall, secured to eachl of said refrigerating means, a dispensing compartment at the upper portion of the cabinet, the interiors of the storage well and the dispensing compartment being substantially coextensive, a side wall of said dispensing compartment extending downwardly and o utwardly from the top of the cabinet to a side wall of the storage well and at a selected inclination, second refrigerating means in the dislensing compartment extending downwardly from the top of the cabinet to the upper part of the storage well, second mentioned supporting means secured to-and extending along the second mentioned refrigerating means from one end wall of the cabinet to the other end walllof the cabinet, a plurality of comestible holding trays in the dispensing compartment removably held on the supporting means, the second mentioned supporting means positioned relatively to the rst mentioned supporting means to dispose the trays in the compartment at the said selected inclination downwardly and outwardlyfrom the second mentioned to the rst mentioned refrigerating means, the bottoms of the trays in each compartment forming a continuous wall sealing the dispensingcompartment from the storage well, the s'ide wall of the dispensing compartment arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough the compartment and the storage well. s

8. In a refrigerated display and storage cabinet for the self-service dispensing of perishable comestibles, an enclosed storage well at the lower portion of the cabinet and having closed side and end walls, refrigerating means extending to the upper part of the storage well along each of said closed side walls, supporting means from one end to the other end wall toform a dispensing compartment on ,each side of the cabinet; second mentioned supporting means secured' to and extending along each side of the second mentioned refrigerating means; and -a plurality of comestible holding trays in each dispensing compartment removably held on a said supporting means on one side of the second mentioned refrigerating supporting means to dispose a. plurality of trays y in each dispensing compartment at the said selected -inclination downwardly and outwardly wall to the other end wall secured to said refrigerating means, a dispensing compartment at the upper portion of the cabinet, theinteriors of the storage well and the dispensing compartment being substantially coextensive, a side-wall of said compartment extending downwardly and outwardly from the top of the cabinet to a side wall of the storage well and at a selected inclination, second refrigerating means in the dispensing compartment extending downwardly from the top of the cabinet to the upper part of the storage well, second mentioned supporting means secured to' and extending along the second mentioned refrigerating meansfrom one end wall to the other endwall of the cabinet, a plurality of comestible holding trays in the dispensing compartment and removably held on the supporting means, the sec'- structed to provide access therethrough to the.

` compartment and the storage well.

9. In a refrigerated display and storage compartment for the self-service dispensing of perishable comestibles, an enclosed storage well at the lower portion of the cabinet and having closed side walls and end walls, refrigerating means along each of said closed side walls extending to the upper part of the storage well, supporting means extending from one end wall to the other end wall of the cabinet and secured to each of said refrigerating means, a dispensing compartment at the upper portion of the y cabinet, said dispensing compartment of archof the cabinet, second mentioned supporting means secured to and extending along the secn ond mentioned refrigerating means on each side thereof, a plurality of comestible holding trays in each dispensing compartment at each side of the cabinet, said trays removably held on the supporting means to arrange trays in each compartment, the second mentioned supporting means arranged relatively to the iirst mentioned supporting means to dispose the trays in each compartment at the said selected inclination extending downwardly and outwardly from the second to the rst mentioned refrigerating means, the bottoms of the trays in each compartment forming a continuouswall sealing the dispensing compartment from the storage well, the side wall of each dispensing compartment arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough to the dispensing compartment and the storage well.

10. In a refrigerated display and storage compartment for the self-service dispensing of perishable comestibles, an enclosed storage well at the lower portion of the cabinet and having closed side walls and end walls, refrigerating means along each of said closed side walls extending to the upper part of the storage Well, supporting means extending from one end wall to the other end wall of the cabinet and secured to each of said refrigerating means, a

dispensing` compartment at the upper portion of the cabinet, said dispensing compartment of arch-like cross-sectional configuration, the side walls of said dispensing compartment extending downwardly and outwardly from the top of the cabinet to a side wall of the storage well, the

'interiors of the storage well and the dispensing compartment being substantially continuous. second mentioned refrigerating means in the dispensing compartment extending downwardly each dispensing compartment at each side of the cabinet, said trays removably held on the supporting means to arranged trays in each cornpartment, the second mentioned supporting means .being arranged relatively to the first mentioned supporting means to dispose the trays in each compartment at the said selected inclination extending` downwardly and outwardly from the second to the first mentioned refrigerating means, the side wall of each dispensing compartment arranged and constructed to provide access therethrough to the dispensing compartment and the storage well.

11. In a refrigerated display and storage cabinet for the self-service dispensing therefrom of perishable comestibles, an enclosed storage well at the lower portion of the cabinet, refrigerating means arranged in the cabinet forthe storage well, a dispensing compartment at the upper y portion ofthe cabinet, the interiors of the storage well and the dispensing compartment being coextensive; second refrigeration means for the dispensing compagtment extending from the upper part of the dispensing compartment to at least the upper part \of the storage well and V spaced from the rst mentioned refrigerating means, supporting means\secured to each refrigerating means and a plurality of trays removably held in thefdspensing compartment on the supporting means, the bottoms of the trays forming a wall separating communication between the storage well and dispensing compartment, said trays being refrigerated by conduction through the supporting means to the refrigerating means.

' CHARLES Q. SHERMAN. 

